The Bar

January 29, 2010

This last week has presented me with more challenges than usual. Elise is getting older by the minute, and she demands more of my attention with each passing week. Business is also picking up. I’ve had the opportunity to serve four new insurance clients this week. It isn’t a lot in the insurance world, but it’s a lot for a guy who hasn’t been in business a year yet. I’m grateful. I’m also working away late nights on a business plan that I have been building for the last six months. Almost done, and I pray for success. I’ve been absent from my blog here and wanted to catch up for a minute.

Today, in between bouts of Barney books, Sesame Street, and business I decided to vacuum the living room. Random, I know. In the middle of my vacuum break, I started thinking about business. And I started thinking about the bar. We are entering times where more and more people seem to be getting into small business. I think that’s exciting and I encourage anybody to try to start something, even if it is part time at first. But I’m not writing this just because I hope you’ll feel inspired to start a business. I’m writing this to encourage you to start a business and raise the bar. Become the standard. Be a leader. Enter your marketplace and look around. Today’s world is transparent. Study what your competitors are doing, then compile a list of things they are not doing and things they are doing poorly. Dominate. It could be five small things… but those five things could quickly become your unique selling proposition. Those five little things could take you to the top. Opportunities are endless. So don’t just start a business… raise the bar.

Just a couple pennies for you to take in today. I’m gonna go back to work now.